England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
